Democratic strategists say that when their early polling picked up that the percentage of voters who identify themselves as Republicans was dwindling — and that self-identified independents were surging — they didn’t assume this was good news. A closer look at this shift revealed that in the past few years, a large number of tea party Republicans switched their registration to independent but nonetheless voted firmly in the GOP column.

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For Democrats, something similar was occurring. The hundreds of thousands of Latinos registering for the first time preferred to be listed on the rolls as “unaffiliated” or independent — but were actually far more likely to vote Democrat.

But this new reality seemed to elude many Republicans surrounding the Romney campaign and in the 2012 GOP echo chamber. All they saw was Romney leading among independents and concluded that since Obama won independents by 8 points in 2008, this spelled victory. (John Kerry secured them by a single percentage point in 2004 over George W. Bush, which was not considered relevant.)

“No candidate has won the White House while losing independents by a significant margin,” crowed conservative Breitbart blogger Mike Flynn one week before the election. “Based on this alone, … Obama is staring at defeat next week.”

How to tackle this new electoral model may prove to be a challenge for Republicans who still can’t even agree on why they lost.

Many blame Romney for wasting too much time focusing on GOP-leaning independents during the campaign — to the detriment of turning out the party’s own base.

“What does it matter if polls showed that 31 percent of Latinos support us if we have no idea who they are and don’t bother asking them to go out and vote,” said Ed Goeas, a GOP pollster who is analyzing the 2012 results for the Republican National Committee. “The Romney campaign hasn’t owned up to this yet, but their get-out-the-vote plan was a disaster. We are talking nonexistent versus Obama’s superior operation.”

Others, led by party stars like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, believe there are simply not enough Republicans left in the base to turn out because the party has failed abysmally to attract minorities — including Latinos, the fastest-growing segment of the population. “It is a challenge to take what you stand for and try to convince people that it is better for them than what the other side is offering,” Rubio recently noted.

This illustrates the central Republican problem. Republicans embrace ideas that were always false and ideas that were once true and over time, due to changes, have become false.

False Ideas Republicans Still Peddle:

Independents determine elections.

We once walked with the dinosaurs.

Tax cuts pay for themselves.

Big tax cuts for the richest lead to great economic growth.

Global warming is an international conspiracy and hoax of united world climate scientists.

Sexual orientation is a choice.

Men know what's better for women than women.

Old ideas and ways are necessarily better than new ideas and ways.

Scientific "facts" are no better than anyone else's "facts."

As long as Republicans live in Denial, a world in which atoms are solid like billiard balls and trickle down economics makes everyone richer, they are going to suffer heartbreak when reality invades their space. Maybe once upon a time Republicans were merely cynical liars who would tell voters lies only to get their votes but would privately know the truth. Now, it seems, Republicans are brainwashing themselves with the same lies and propaganda that used to be meant only for use in duping and manipulating voters.

The key is the takers. There are more takers in this country than there are makers. If this is the country of opportunities, the richest country in the world as Obama said yesterday, then why is President Obama creating a country of entitlement? Because it brings votes, that's why!!

Field an idiot as a candidate, a truly "party" person a/k/a HACK and the independents won't hold their noses and vote for you. Not when there's another option.

Option A: Angus King (I) - Maine.

Option B: Barack Obama (d) - or at least he look more Blue Dog back in November.

Romney was weighed down by the Democrats, who successfully hitched him with every nutjob, moonshot, was you dropped on the head a lot as a child son, candidate for State and Federal office.

Romney trying to be the "Teflon Candidate" and not sticking with a solid position, labeled him as unelectable. The "waitress moms" have a great many college-educated, cynical, seen this before, you promise me you'll call, and never do, fellow independents.

Oh, and those uninsured, barely getting by "waitress moms" looked at a chance for health care by voting (D) or nothing?

Having the Feds bail out the wealthy, be they banks, PREFERRED stockholders, or the Corporations themselves, gained no Independent trust.

Well... same goes for Corporations. As soon as you said: "Can't void contractual multi-million dollar payouts to the Execs who ran the company into the ground"??? The ********-o-meter pegged the needle. You see, the "waitress moms" get FIRED for that sort of screw-up. Romney knows how that goes - finally.

This illustrates the central Republican problem. Republicans embrace ideas that were always false and ideas that were once true and over time, due to changes, have become false.

False Ideas Republicans Still Peddle:

Independents determine elections. - even this article agrees with this statement

We once walked with the dinosaurs. - Maya, Egyptian, and Southeast Asian cultures have geroglypics of men walking with dinosaurs.

Tax cuts pay for themselves. - Economics 101, 201, 301, 401, and 501. I take it you don't have a higher education degree.

Big tax cuts for the richest lead to great economic growth. - It is their money. And yet, your boss is richer than you. Oh the irony.

Global warming is an international conspiracy and hoax of united world climate scientists. - You believe whatever men tell you, yet criticize those who believe what God says in the Bible.

Sexual orientation is a choice. Is it not? what gene can you point out to prove otherwise?

Men know what's better for women than women. - Your so called War on Women was fake, is fake and will continue to be fake.

Old ideas and ways are necessarily better than new ideas and ways. - Old ideas are not bad ideas. You should learn from them. They are called tradition, culture, morals, values. They are also the basis for history, economics, science, technology, etc.

Scientific "facts" are no better than anyone else's "facts." - read my responses in blue - you might learn a thing or two.

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The liberal problem is the lack of respect for people who don't think like them. That only make you cool in 11th and 12th grade!

yet just as decisively lose the election. Pollsters and campaign strategists — particularly Republicans — are scrambling to understand what happened — and more important, what it means for future campaign strategies.

So many professionals around the world of politics and they are just fools. It is pretty easy to see why Obama won. it wasn't the black vote. It wasn't the lack of people showing up. It was the latino vote. Obama won because he captured a larger majority of Latino voters than typical. Even a 10% swing toward Romney would have given him the win.

Global warming is an international conspiracy and hoax of united world climate scientists.

This was the best one. It is a hoax. It is all about scamming money for researchers and AlGore. Carbon taxes is just a new way for governments to rob the citizens. We haven't had warming in over 12 years. And this new solar cycle is looking to be weaker than the previous. Sure there is CLIMATE CHANGE. That happens constantly. But there is no trend of global warming (unless of course you follow the hockey stick of false statistical reporting. )

Most of my adult life I was registered to the democratic party but several election cycles ago I switched to independent because I vote different in local elections than I do in the national election. I like the freedom to pick the candidate (rather than the party) to represent me in government. I'm not one to fall in line with Harry Reid's nastiness.

No, it doesn't. In fact, it says independents did NOT determine this election:

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

Economics 101, 201, 301, 401, and 501.

still waiting for those deficit raising Bush tax cuts to pay for themselves.

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

I take it you don't have a higher education degree.

People in glass houses....you think this article says independents win elections, right? It doesn't. It says they don't any longer.

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

It is their money

fallacious argument. And where is all the massive economic growth due to the massive Bush tax cuts? Seems to me those people are hording money, ie: Romney and his off-shore bank accounts.

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

what God says in the Bible.

God doesn't say anything in the Bible. Mortals write down what THEY believe in the Bible. Also, another fallacious argument on your part, since it is highly unlikely that Roameo believes everything men tell him.

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

Is it not?

You CHOSE to be straight? When? And if you CHOSE to be straight, does that not mean you were born straight AND gay but CHOSE to be straight? Wouldn't this also mean that you have desire for people of the same sex but just choose to not act on them? And again, please don't try to attack the education and intelligence of anyone else if you actually believe sexuality is a CHOICE.

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

Your so called War on Women was fake, is fake and will continue to be fake.

No, it was real, like your "War on Christmas". Lol. Referring to women who think birth control should be covered by insurance as "sluts"....them's fightin' words. And that's just ONE example. Mandatory probes, ladies?

BlueLight: Dec. 20, 2012 - 6:42 AM EST

Old ideas are not bad ideas. You should learn from them. They are called tradition, culture, morals, values. They are also the basis for history, economics, science, technology, etc.

I'll tell you EXACTLY what happened. Mitt Romney p!$sed off the conservative base with his mealy-mouthed moderate garbage in the last 4 weeks of the campaign, and they stayed home in droves!!!!

They were too upset to get out and vote for conservative Senate and House candidates too? I love the logic that Obama has now won twice because the GOP candidate was too moderate. "Boy, that Mitt Romney is too moderate. I want that liberal Obama to win - twice." How did voter turnout in red states compare in 2012 and 2008 to 2004 and 2000? Your theory would suggest turnout was down significantly because of people staying home out of disgust.

Well, YOU'RE the ones who want to continue with trickle-down economics. Stop complaining about the negative consequences. You want to redirect all the wealth to 1% of the population AND complain that there are more takers than makers? (which isn't even true, btw).